Grants for Performing Arts

Last updated October 24, 2026

Grantable tracks 539 active grants for performing arts in its free grants database, drawn from foundation sources and updated daily. 12 of them have a verified open deadline or accept applications on a rolling basis. 313 list an award amount, with a median of $10K.

Grants tracked: 539; from 347 funders
Median award: $10K; middle half $5,000–$25K
Total listed funding: $22.2M; across 313 grants that list an amount
Rolling deadlines: 9; 24 with a published date

On this page: Foundation · Updated daily

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Grant	Deadline ▲	Amount
Performing Artists Directory Grants Kentucky Arts Council · Foundation Not published · Varies The Performing Artists Directory Grants, offered by the Kentucky Arts Council, aim to support professional performing artists in dance, music, theater, and storytelling.	Not published	Varies
Granum Grant Alpena Community College Foundation · Foundation Rolling · $5K Educational programming, lectures, cultural performances, performing arts, and community-based events	Rolling	$5K
TCA Texas Arts Respond Performance Support Grant Texas Commission On The Arts · Foundation Not published · $75 – $8K The TCA Texas Arts Respond Performance Support grant aims to enhance Texas's creative economy by investing in arts activities.	Not published	$75 – $8K
Gerald Kahan Scholar's Prize Grant American Society for Theatre Research · Foundation Not published · Up to $500 The Gerald Kahan Scholar's Prize, awarded by the American Society for Theatre Research, honors the best essay published in English in a refereed scholarly journal or edited collection within the field of theater research.	Not published	Up to $500
Higgins Family Fund - Performing Arts in the Schools Grant Beckley Area Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $2K The Higgins Family Fund, established by the Beckley Area Foundation in 2005, aims to enhance performing arts education in local schools.	Not published	Up to $2K
Arts & Culture - Special Arts Grants Fleishhacker Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies Special Arts Grants are awarded to anchoring arts and culture nonprofit organizations that have annual budgets between $750,000 and $2 million; produce and present new work; operate performance venues or exhibition spaces in San Francisco…	Not published	Varies
Minnesota State Arts Board - Arts Experiences Grant Minnesota State Arts Board · Foundation Not published · $5K – $35K The Minnesota State Arts Board offers the Arts Experiences Grant to support individuals and organizations in creating impactful arts programming for the community. Grants range from $5,000 to $35,000, with no cash match required.	Not published	$5K – $35K
Arts and Culture Fund Grant Toledo Community Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $100K The Arts and Culture Fund, managed by the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, invites nonprofit organizations to apply for funding of up to $100,000 for public arts projects that enhance community connections.	Not published	Up to $100K
Plains Exchange Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchan · Foundation Not published · Varies	Not published	Varies
Award for the Best Contemporary Hispanic Performing Arts Production in New York (Talía Awards) Queen Sofia Spanish Institute Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies An inaugural category within the Talía Awards that honors excellence in contemporary Hispanic and Latino theatrical productions presented in New York.	Not published	Varies
Harkness Foundation for Dance Grant The Harkness Foundation for Dance Inc · Foundation Not published · $1K – $10K The Harkness Foundation for Dance Grant supports the dance art form in New York City through various initiatives, including program and project grants.	Not published	$1K – $10K
Bronx Cultural Visions Fund (BCVF) The Bronx Council on the Arts Incorporated · Foundation Not published · $10K – $20K The Bronx Cultural Visions Fund (BCVF) seeks to support the development of new ideas and the production of new work in the performing arts, including dance, music, theater, performance art, and multi-disciplinary performance work.	Not published	$10K – $20K
Fiscal Partnerships America-Israel Cultural Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies AICF partners with artists and arts organizations to facilitate financial support towards the betterment of cultural advancement in Israel.	Not published	Varies
Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant William Randolph Hearst Foundation · Foundation Not published · From $100K The Hearst Foundation: Culture Grant aims to support outstanding nonprofits that enhance cultural engagement and artistic talent in the U.S. With a focus on programs that reach young people, the grant prioritizes organizations that create…	Not published	From $100K
CA$H Theatre Grant - CA$H Performs Theatre Bay Area · Foundation Not published · $5K The CA$H Theatre Grant, provided by Theatre Bay Area, supports fully-produced performances of artistic projects that are publicly accessible.	Not published	$5K
R. Don Cowan Music & Performing Arts Scholarship Grant East Texas Communities Foundation · Foundation Not published · $5K The R. Don Cowan Music & Performing Arts Scholarship, administered by the East Texas Communities Foundation, supports students pursuing studies in music and performing arts, including musical theater and dance.	Not published	$5K
Robert W. Woodruff Foundation: Arts & Culture Grant Robert W Woodruff Foundation Inc · Foundation Not published · Up to $20M The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation supports arts and culture initiatives to enhance community vitality in Georgia.	Not published	Up to $20M
McKnight Foundation: Arts & Culture Grant Program The McKnight Foundation · Foundation Not published · Varies The McKnight Foundation's Arts & Culture Grant Program supports initiatives that empower artists and culture bearers in Minnesota.	Not published	Varies
Repertoire Development Grants Opera America Inc · Foundation Not published · Varies Repertoire Development Grants assist Professional Company Members and their partners in developing new North American opera and music theater works.	Not published	Varies
Grant and Collaborative Initiatives: Media The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music · Foundation Not published · Varies The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music offers the Grant and Collaborative Initiatives: Media program, supporting projects that highlight the works of Kurt Weill, Lotte Lenya, or Marc Blitzstein.	Not published	Varies
Pew Center for Arts & Heritage: Creative Project Grants The Pew Charitable Trusts · Foundation Not published · Up to $300K The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage offers Creative Project Grants to support distinctive and impactful projects by cultural organizations in the Philadelphia region.	Not published	Up to $300K
Native Performing Arts Live Production Grant (LPG) First Peoples Fund · Foundation Not published · $30K The Native Performing Arts Live Production Grant (LPG) supports Native artists and organizations in staging live performances, fostering cultural expression.	Not published	$30K
Regional Touring Grant Program Mid-America Arts Alliance · Foundation Not published · Up to $5K The Regional Touring Grant Program, funded by the Mid-America Arts Alliance, supports organizations in the M-AAA region to showcase touring artists from outside their state.	Not published	Up to $5K
ASCA: Helen Walker Performing Arts Grants Alaska State Council on the Arts · Foundation Not published · $500 – $5K The Helen Walker Performing Arts Grants, administered by the Alaska State Council on the Arts, support performing arts initiatives across Alaska.	Not published	$500 – $5K

Showing 433–456 of 534

About grants for performing arts

Grants for the performing arts support theater, dance, music, opera, and presenting organizations through production, touring, education, and operating funds. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) funds the field through its Grants for Arts Projects program, and state arts councils and regional arts organizations distribute additional public dollars. Private foundations like the Mellon and Doris Duke foundations support larger institutions, artists, and field-wide initiatives.

A long list is the starting point, not the shortlist. Our grant prospecting guide shows how to narrow grants for performing arts down to the funders most likely to say yes, using their giving records.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much money do grants for performing arts award?

Of the 539 grants for performing arts Grantable lists as of October 24, 2026, 313 publish an award amount. The median listed award is $10K, and the middle half fall between $5,000 and $25K. The largest is $6M. Amounts are each grant's stated maximum, so a typical award can be smaller.

Which funders offer the most grants for performing arts?

By number of active listings, the leading funders are Entertainment Community Fund (11), Asian Cultural Council Inc (9), Opera America Inc (9), South Arts Inc (8), and The Dramatists Guild Fund Inc (8). In all, 347 funders have at least one active grant in this category.

When are grants for performing arts due?

Of 539 grants listed, 9 accept applications on a rolling basis, 24 have a published upcoming deadline, 120 run on a stated cycle (such as annual or quarterly) without a published date, and 386 don't publish a deadline, so check the funder's site. Among dated deadlines, 54% fall in October–December.

What grants are available for the performing arts?

Performing arts organizations can pursue funding for productions, commissions, touring, presenting series, arts education, and operating support across disciplines like theater, dance, music, and opera. The NEA's Grants for Arts Projects is the principal federal source, and state and regional arts agencies offer project and operating grants. Private foundations add support for new work, artist development, and institutional capacity.

Who funds the performing arts?

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the central federal funder, working through state arts councils and regional arts organizations that re-grant public funds locally. Private funders such as the Mellon Foundation and the Doris Duke Foundation support performing arts institutions and artists nationally, and community foundations and corporate programs fund local companies and venues.

Can individual performers apply, or only organizations?

Most public performing arts grants go to nonprofit organizations rather than individuals. Individual performers and creators typically access support through fellowships, prizes, and commissions from foundations and service organizations, or by working under a fiscal sponsor or partnering with a nonprofit so they can receive organizational funding.

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